Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-01-28

liant, one of the most distinguished trot-
tiers in this country. Practice and an
improved mouth enabled him entirely to
overcome these defects, and to be, for
many years. an unrivalled horse for
speed and bottom.
On examining the fastest horses it will
be found that they are rather heavy
chested. This was the case with Boston
Blue, Writings Colt, Bull Calf, Column
bus. and most others; it is the case with
all the fast Canadians that | have ever
seen. And may it not be fairly inferred
that heavy shoulders have a tendency to
keep horse down to his horizontal
work, and, in a measure, counteract the
perpendicular impulse. given by the ex-
tension of the hind legs so far under his
speed? So. on the other hand, those
horses which are light forward, with
shoulders like the race horse, sharp and
receding, lose their horizontal motion
for want of weight in the fore-quarters,
to keep down to their work; they make
good galopers but poor trotters.
This pressure forward explains the
reason why horse trots faster under
the saddle, with $50 lbs. on his back, than
| in harness. to light sulky of so lbs. eX-
elusive of the driver; when, in the latter
case, he pulls everything by the reins-
he trots with slack traces and taut
breeching: in the former he pulls twice
as hard and has added $50 lbs. upon his
shoulders, and the harder he is pulled
the greater is the forward pressure, and
less the liability to kick up.
From what A known of the speed and
strength of this horse, of his properties,
so well adapted for the road, as well as
the turf, it has always been unaccounta-
BILE to me why farmers and breeders, gen.
orally, do not introduce the trotting
horse. instead of the high-mettled racer,
of whose usefulness scarcely one word
can be said. | am, however, far from
undertaking the thoroughbred horse !;
the sports of the turf are always inter-
esting to me but | now address practical
men; and | ask if they would not bene-
fit themselves and the community more
by raising the trotter instead of the racer:
The one is useful as a work horse, on
the farm or on the road: generally kind
and gentle in harness, and often active
enough for the saddle. Whilst the other,
if his strain is superior, has an irritable
ity. nervousness, that units him for
the steady routine of making wheels
turn round and is only calculated to
carry light weight and occasionally
win plate or purse.
believe it is estimated that only one
colt in thirty proves himself Il tirst-rato
runner, under the most judicious manage.
ment, in the selection of brood mares
and the greatest care in feeding and
grooming and biting. Such a colt may
bring two or three thousand dollars; but
= the twenty-nine may not average one
hundred and fifty dollars, while the trot
( ting colt of good promise (Which is in
= dictated not unfrequently at three year:
= old readily brings from two to five hun
| bred; and some of them one thousand
t Besides, these horses are always in de
t mand; every man in the neighborhood o.
e our large cities, travelling on dusty roads
t wants trotter for his everyday use
b. but how few there are who keep a racer
t am aware that fine roadsters arr
sometimes obtained by crossing the larg
common mare with the full-bloodet
horse. There are instances of it in thu
: progeny of old Messenger; he was tn
y sire of Fagdown, and, believe, Mambri
e no and Hambletonian; and this stock ha
|, supplied Philadelphia and New York witt
= the only trotting horses that they raiset
n for some time. Tippo Sab, who nov
stands at the Hunting Park course, be
Il longs to the same family, and although
n as trOtter | have never heard of hi
e performance, yet he is the sire of Sail
:, Miller, a very celebrated trotter.
Now, with the exception of Messer
g ger, have never been able to trace eA
/" traordinary trotting families derived frol
), such source. There are individuals O
y celebrity whose origin is unknown; bu
q we want, in this quarter, the distinct rac'
IL as they pervade some parts of the cas-
ern States and the county of Norfolk i
d England. The breed in those places al
~ unlike our own, and are as separated
u trotterS AS the thoroughbred, full bloode'
= are racers.
Il OF this pure trotting breed ranks Be
Id Founder. He was imported from Ems
Y land by a gentleman of Boston; and |
III now stands on Long Island. \ colt {
e. his, coming five years this grass, stanC
lie about four miles from Philadelphia, ne;
n, Frankfort; he is out of Dr. Hurds eel
y brated trotting mare near Boston; is
dark bay without any marks.
H. Now maintain that this is emphati
al Il icti II